New Zealand organisations

Here you will find links to local organisations hosting arts and health research and resources. You can also download research and evidence reports.

Arts Access Aotearoa

An organisation working nationally to increase access to the arts for people who experience barriers to participation as artists, performers, audience members, and visitors. Much of its work is focused on disability, mental health, Arts in Corrections and Deaf communities. It provides advisory and advocacy services, information, promotion, resources and research. Its website includes information about arts, health and wellbeing, and community arts organisations called creative spaces. It has a useful directory of creative spaces.

Creative New Zealand

Creative New Zealand encourages, promotes and supports the arts in New Zealand for the benefit of all New Zealanders through funding, capability building, its international programme and advocacy.

Here are two of its valuable resources:

Advocacy Toolkit

This  Advocacy Toolkit helps you talk about the value of the arts to New Zealand so people are more likely to support the arts in all its forms. It includes research and evidence supporting you to articulate the value of the arts, including a section on arts and health.

Community Arts Toolkit 

This is a best practice guide to community arts projects in Aotearoa New Zealand. It includes videos of New Zealanders sharing their experiences and what they've learned. There are also tipsheets, tools and examples of successful projects and events to get you inspired. 

Ara Taiohi 

Ara Taiohi is the peak body for youth development in Aotearoa New Zealand. It's a national, membership-based organisation with more than 1000 personal and organisational members representing a diverse range of groups. "Ara" means "pathway, lane, passageway to/from" and "taiohi" means "young person". It has access to resources supporting work with young people: some free, others part of a membership package. For more about Ara Taiohi

New Zealand Mental Health Foundation 

The New Zealand Mental Health Foundation provides free information and training, and advocates for policies and services that support people with experience of mental illness, and also their families/whānau and friends. Its website has a number of resources related to arts and mental health. For more about arts and health resources